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The American Energy Consumer







Table 3-18.Winter Indoor Temperature Control and Characteristics by Whether Space Heat Is Paid For Directly, 1973 (percent of households)
Pay for space heat
Characteristics All households Yes No
All households 100 100 100
With thermostat or valve 81 87 48
Temperature during day
Under 70° 12 12 14
70°-72° 52 53 45
73° or higher 33 32 38
Don't know 2 2 4
Temperature at night
Under 70° 45 45 49
70°-72° 35 36 28
73° or higher 16 16 18
Don't know 4 4 4
Source: Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies' Lifestyles and Energy Surveys.


Table 3-19.Temperature Controlling Characteristics by Whether Space Heat Is Paid For Directly, 1973 (percent of households)
Pay for space heat
Characteristics All households Yes No
All households 100 100 100
No electric space heater 85 84 91
With space heater 15 16 8
1 12 13 8
2 or more 2 2 1
Windows sometimes open at night in winter 33 31 49
Room door usually shut 15 14 19
Usually not shut 18 16 28
Windows almost never open 66 68 50
Source: Washington Center for Metropolitan Studies' Lifestyles and Energy Surveys.


Footnotes
Footnote :

a For households with thermostats or valves.

Furnace Pilot Lights.

Turning off the pilot light of a natural gas furnace during the summer is a way of saving energy without causing a family any discomfort. In the summer before the energy crisis of 1973-74, about 13 million households saved energy by having their pilot lights turned off in the summer. Another 25 million left their furnace pilot lights on (Table 3-20). If